Off-grid site report
Colbert County, AL
34.7453, -87.6735 · 502 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Colbert County, AL, not legal advice and not a guarantee. Rules change, and the deciding facts on any specific parcel (setbacks, perc results, overlay districts, deed restrictions, road frontage) live at the county or town office, not in any database. Before you buy land or build, confirm the current rules directly with the local zoning and health offices - the sources on this page tell you exactly who to call.
The local rulesColbert County, AL
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Unclear - verifyAlabama counties need a state local act for zoning power, and one is referenced for Colbert County, but no official ordinance text or map was found. Zoning inside towns like Tuscumbia or Muscle Shoals is handled by those municipalities, not confirmed for unincorporated land. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo official Colbert County document on tiny home or RV occupancy was found; this would depend on municipal zoning if inside town limits, not confirmed for unincorporated county land.
Building permits & codes
Varies locallyBuilding permitting appears to be handled by individual municipalities (like Tuscumbia code enforcement) rather than a countywide department; whether unincorporated Colbert County requires permits at all is not confirmed. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedThe Colbert County Health Department, under Alabama Department of Public Health rules, issues Permits to Install for onsite sewage systems, and no one may install or repair a system without one. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedNo county-specific greywater rule exists; the state ADPH onsite sewage rules, applied by the Colbert County Health Department, govern greywater handling. source
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo state or Colbert County restriction on residential rainwater harvesting was found.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedWell construction is governed by state (ADEM) standards, and the Colbert County Health Department offers private well water testing; no additional county well ordinance was found. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo county ordinance requiring connection to public utilities was found; any such requirement would likely come from a specific municipality, but none was confirmed.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.1 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.8 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,427 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 53 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 2 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 3,105 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Mar 28 to Nov 5
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
North Alabama Shoals Hospital - 0.2 mi
- Fire station
Muscle Shoals Fire Dept #3 - 3.1 mi
- Hardware store
Lowe's - 1.4 mi
- Grocery
Walmart Supercenter - 0.2 mi
From OpenStreetMap. Road miles will be longer, often much longer in hill country.
Plan this spot
These open with this location's real numbers already filled in (ZIP 35662).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Colbert County, AL?The rules above are the jurisdiction. The land check runs the parcel itself: flood zone, soils and septic suitability, wetlands, slope, access, climate, and these verdicts, from a parcel number or coordinates.
Check a parcel →Share or save this report:New report
Sources: US Census Bureau geocoder; NLR PVWatts v8 (solar); NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 climate normals (nearest station) or Open-Meteo (ZIP-centroid) for weather; Open-Elevation; OpenStreetMap contributors. Public data retrieved Aug 22, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.
New here, or not sure where this fits? Start here walks through the whole thing in order.